


Home Again

by Bullheaded25



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Gen, Reunited and It Feels So Good
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9480794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bullheaded25/pseuds/Bullheaded25
Summary: Arya has left Braavos, killed the Freys, and is now on her way home to Winterfell that was recently reclaimed by her half-brother, Jon, and her sister, Sansa. Arya doesn't know if they will even recognize her, and she them... It's been six years since she has seen any of her family.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of hopefully many. Please leave notes and comments if there are things I should work on or that you would like to see, or what you think! Thank you!

Arya's eyelids became heavy in one instant. She had not slept for two days, and her horse, who was also tired, and just slowed down to a trot and it made Arya realize her own exhaustion. She cringed. Ahead of her, she could see lanterns outside of a building. it was the Inn at the Crossroads.

She so badly wanted to stop there, stay the night, break her fast, and reach Winterfell the following day well and rested. Against her better judgement, Arya did stop at the Inn. She climbed off her horse and stood still for a moment, so tired that she was dizzy. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to exhale, then reopened them and felt calm.

Men were coming from the road, back to the Inn. Arya sighed, she did not want to see people, especially drunk men. _They were always so frustrating_ , she thought to herself.

"Aye! Girl!" One boasted. Arya's jaw set and she tied her horse up without looking at the men, and began to walk inside. They were close to her.

One man grabbed her arm and Arya whipped around. She was over a head shorter than the man, and his cronies were all around his size.

"Let go of me," she said calmly. The man and his friends laughed.

"You seem feisty," he slurred, stepping closer. "I like feisty little girls."

"I don't think you would like me." The man laughed more.

Arya had needle removed from its hilt before the man or his friends even realized she had meant to grab her weapon. Their laughing ceased, but the man's grip on her arm tightened.

"You don't have to be conscious for me to do what I want with ya, girl," he growled, Arya smelling foul mead on his breath.

"AYE!" A man yelled from the inn. Arya groaned. The man looked up, the man who yelled seemed to be taller than him even.

"Let go of me and I won't kill you," Arya threatened. The man holding on her arm growled and shook her, coming a step closer to her.

"As long as I've fucked you bloody you can kill me," he said, obviously trying to scare Arya.

Arya grinned. "You'll be dead before you even get your breeches off."

Another man, the one who had yelled from behind Arya, had come to their side when the man had not released her arm. Arya growled, angry. _Why do men always need to interrupt me!_ The man, who was in deed nearly a foot taller than the first man, ripped him from Arya.

"You think it's fun to rape little girls, do you?" A chill rippled through Arya but she was not sure why. Her heart began beating fast. "Well, I enjoy beating men senseless when they do such."

The men were stumbling backwards, the one that Gendry was holding on to nearly fell several times trying desperately to get away before he was beat.

 _Gendry,_ Arya thought fondly. Then froze, _that's Gendry!_

He released the third man and they all spun around and ran away from the Inn. Gendry watched them for a few moments and Arya just stared at his back, shocked. She thought he was dead. _He should be dead, the Red Woman bought him,_ she told herself. He was taller than he had been before, but still a head and a half or two taller than her. His body was even more broad than before, more muscular than ever.

Before Arya noticed, Gendry turned around.

"If you're going to come in late at night," he was muttering. "Come with another person, or don't take your sweet time -" Gendry stared, aghast at her. "Arry?" He whispered. _He probably thought I was dead too_ , Arya told herself.

Her stomach turned at the old nickname that she hadn't heard in years.

Neither of them said anything, just stared at each other. He had a stubble now, and it added age to his face. She could tell that he was working as a blacksmith, he had sheet of sweat covering his body and scorched spots up his arms. He hadn't been in bed, she thought, he had been working through the night.

Arya's brain was moving fast. She wanted to hit Gendry, but she could hardly lift her arms at the moment. She was exhausted, but she also was so shocked, so happy, to see her best friend. He was her only friend, besides Jon.

"Can I stay here tonight?" She croaked, and cursed herself for sounding so weak.

"Of course you can," Gendry murmured, and Arya felt her eyes prickle, cursing herself again.

Gendry slowly stepped towards her until she was right in front of him, nearly touching. Arya felt a pulse go down her arms, and the next thing she knew, she jumped into Gendry's arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck, she felt his arms instantly wrap about her middle and hold her tight. Arya closed her eyes and inhaled his smell, which had not changed.

* * *

Gendry could not believe his luck. He had spent half a year at the Inn, waiting for Arya to come back. He had hoped, dreamed, that he would be lucky enough to eventually find her here. He and Hot Pie had even conversed about it the other night, if she didn't come by his next name day, which was approaching, he would leave and take his luck at getting into Winterfell. Arya, he knew, was going to go there, and that if she wasn't there Gendry could be of some value and share his knowledge of her to her siblings.

Gendry cursed himself for not even recognizing her at first. He should have recognized the situation and her threats. He grinned and buried his face in her shoulder, breathing in her smell. She was regularly bathed, so that was a good sign, and smelt like forest and earth. She had grown, but was still very short. She was still lean, perhaps muscular though instead of scrawny. And she was... well she was a woman now, and that's what surprised Gendry most of all. She was still small, but she had hips now that gave her body curves, and she had a bosom that also caught his attention when they were gawking at each other.

"I missed you," he whispered without realizing it.

"I missed you, too," she told him in a small voice that made his stomach twist. They both held each other tighter for another moment before her stomach growled.

"Have you eaten?" Gendry asked sternly.

Arya went back to her feet and smiled sheepishly, looking down. Gendry groaned. He grabbed her hand and lead her into the Inn. She didn't look up, just let Gendry lead her to the kitchens. But they did not go to the kitchen, he took her out the backside of the building and towards the Smithy. Arya looked around, but felt Gendry tug her up stairs and then... into his room. He slept above the smithy in a small room that had a cupboard and a feather cot, and a pot so that he didn't have to leave in the middle of the night.  
"I stay here and work in the smithy," Gendry told her, looking around and shrugged. _They had had lived worst off_ , Arya thought. Gendry handed Arya a large piece of bread that he had set aside. "I was with the brotherhood still when we reached here, and I told them I was staying," Gendry seemed to grimace at the memory.

"Why did you want to stay here?"

Gendry blushed a light pink. He was sitting on his cot now, looking at his hands.

"This was the last place you had been seen," he muttered. Arya felt her jaw drop open. "You killed the Tickler, the man from Harrenhal."

"I did."

"You were with the Hound," Gendry stated, looking at her with angry eyes. "You two became pals after he kidnapped you?"

"I spent over a year with him," Arya answered, not concerned with Gendry's tone. "He got badly wounded here, and I left him to die."

Gendry stared at her for several minutes, and Arya looked around and at him. She could tell that he had a long list of questions, but she was surprised by what he said next.

"I thought you were murdered at the Red... at the wedding at the Twins."

 _The Red Wedding_ , Arya knew that was what the event was called and she grew angry. She had killed the Freys, but not the Lannisters who orchestrated it.

"I was there, but I was not at the wedding. I was waiting outside for them," Arya murmured this. She did not like the memories she had of that night. "They put Robb's direwolf's head on his corpse.."

"Arry, I... how many people are left on that list of yours?"

"Five," she answered. "I have Cersei, the Mountain, Melisandre, Beric Dondarron, and Thoros of Myre."

Arya recited the names easily, she still said them every night.

"Who all have you killed?"

Arya sighed. "Gendry -"

"You made a list to seek revenge, did you stray from that?"

"Only a little," Arya answered angrily. "And it really does not matter. We can talk later about that."

Gendry seemed pleased to hear that they would be talking later. "Where have you been?"

"Braavos," Arya responded. Her life since being kidnapped by the Hound had been an adventure, and she knew that Gendry, and her family would have a lot of questions for her. Arya was just not sure she had enough patience for all of that. "I trained with the Faceless Men."

"You're an assain?"

"I suppose you can call me that, yes." Arya said. "How long have you been at the Inn waiting for me?"

Gendry rolled his eyes at the fact that that's why she went back to. "Half a year," he muttered. "I have.. missed you, m'lady."

"Do not call me m'lady!" Arya scolded and Gendry grinned. "And.. I did miss you too."

"I doubt it," Gendry made a horrible laugh. "With where you've been?"

Arya stepped forward, her heart beating rapidly. She didn't know what she was doing. She did know, that she had thought of Gendry more times than he would ever believe, had been reminded of him by the people she met throughout her journey, and that his pink lips were parted and that his tongue darted across them.

Arya grabbed Gendry's face, all the while Gendry seemed very surprised, but he was shocked when Arya pressed her lips to his. He was frozen, but after a long moment he moved his lips to line up with her's. Gendry slid his arms around Arya's waist, and pulled her into him. He felt her breasts against his chest and shook his head slightly at the thought of Arya having grown into a woman.

"What?" Arya pulled away and asked quietly. There was a.. nervous look dancing around her eyes.

"You're a little lady know," Gendry whispered, smiling. Arya rolled her eyes. "And I should not be kissing a lady -" he seemed to realize this suddenly, releasing his grip on Arya.

"It doesn't matter," Arya said to him. "I want this to happen, and I want you to come to Winterfell with me, I want you to come with me tomorrow. I don't want use to get split up again."

"Arya, you're a highborn," Gendry said. "I'm just some bastard." _Robert Baratheon's bastard,_ but he would tell her that later.

"I don't care," Arya pressed in earnest. "That doesn't mean anything to me. I don't want to be a lady, I don't want to be married off to some idiot or go to balls, I want to stay with you."

Gendry couldn't resist the temptation any longer, and pulled Arya in and kissed her again, and she relaxed in his arms and leaned into his lips. She was still standing, and so her face was just above Gendry's. Gendry had wanted to kiss Arya since they both joined the Brotherhood Without Banners. He had thought of her every day for the past two years, wishing that he would have been able to stop what happened between them. He had been so frightened when she was taken by the Hound, and then more when he heard of what had become of her oldest brother, his wife and unborn child, and their mother. Gendry cursed himself for not kissing her at Acorn Hall.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being more of a filler chapter and has a lot of dialogue. Hopefully you guys enjoy! I'm posting a question in the end notes, so please respond and leave your thoughts on the chapter! Thanks

Arya breathed in and out deeply in her sleep. Her head was on Gendry’s chest, her arm wrapped around him and her leg in between his. Gendry was making circles on her back, and replaying the last ten hours of their night. It was day break now, but he had pushed Arya to agree to leave for Winterfell at nightfall. They could eat and otherwise prepare for their travels North, and Arya could sleep.

Gendry was amazed at his current life. Here he was, waiting for one person that he knew he probably wouldn’t see, but then that very person showed up.

The previous night Gendry and Arya had continued kissing, and continued to do so as Arya sat across his lap. Gendry was flustered and kept pulling back, but Arya would just follow him. The only way Gendry was able to get her to stop was to lay flat on his belly and bury his face in his pillow.

Arya agreed finally to get off of him, though she cuddled into his side when he rolled over and wrapped herself around him. Gendry had been with another woman, but he knew Arya had not been with anyone in the slightest way. He kept repeating that she’s a lady, and that he shouldn’t even be touching her, but she would begin to talk over him every time he started to say it.

Arya had indulged him on a more in depth story of her life since they parted. She was at the Twins the night of her uncle’s wedding, she had arrived at the Erye shortly after her aunt died. Arya said that that had been a good laugh - that all of the family she had left were dying within days of her reaching them, or less. Gendry had pulled her in for another kiss at that. Arya kissed him softly and hugged him for a few moments before going on. She was a skilled assassin now, she had killed many, including people on her list. She had been blind for a period of time, and she broke free from the House of Black and White to come home, which wasn’t something that people could easily.

Nearly everything including the finer details of Arya’s tale had surprised Gendry. He wasn’t shocked that she killed people, but he did feel odd knowing that she has now been trained to do so and that she wasn’t just an angry little girl seeking revenge anymore. She finished her tale and let out a breath - Gendry knew that Arya didn’t want to tell it many times.

“I assume you’ve heard, m’lady,” Gendry began quietly, earning a smack on his arm from Arya. “But the Freys, they’re dead. Lord Frey and his sons.”

Arya cast her eyes down but murmured in agreement that she did know. Gendry’s stomach dropped.

“They say… They say that someone killed his sons and made them into a pie, then fed it to their father,” Gendry went on, staring at Arya, who was playing with a stitch in his breeches. “And Lord Frey had his throat slit afterwards - _ARYA!_ ”

Arya, surprised by Gendry’s change in tone, looked up. They met each other eyes, Arya biting her lip. Gendry did not blink, waiting for her to tell him if it was true or not. Finally, Arya nodded. Gendry gaped at her.

Arya opened her mouth several times, trying to speak but no words were coming out. Gendry had not seen her speechless since he confronted her about being a girl all those years ago.

“I should have told you before…”

Gendry furrowed his eyebrows. “Before what?”

Arya muttered something incoherent. Gendry sat up causing Arya to twist and sit up as well. The cot wasn’t wide, but luckily Arya was still slender and could easily fit on the side, or just curl up on Gendry, which she had done earlier. Arya meant to get off the cot, but Gendry caught her wrist.

“Arya, what is bothering you?”

Arya turned to face him. “I’m a monster,” she mumbled, this time she said it was just loud enough for Gendry to catch. His stomach turned and he grabbed Arya’s other wrist with is free hand. “I should have told you, so that you knew and could turn me away before I -”

“Shut up,” Gendry growled. Arya actually listened to him, and chanced a glance at his face. “You’re crazy, I already knew that. I knew that if you were alive, you were killing people. A lot of people have hurt you and those you care for, and you want to hurt them. I don’t have the same way of thinking, but I knew before we parted ways that you think that. You are no monster to me, Arry.”

Arya had waited a moment before moving, then pushed him onto his back and curled back on top of him.

“Please tell me if you change your mind,” she whispered.

Gendry knew that this was a genuine fear of Arya’s, and he was amazed at how emotionally in touch she was being with him. Without saying anything, Gendry pulled Arya up his body and cupped her cheeks with is large hands. He stroked her skin with his thumb, searching her dark gray eyes.

“I will tell you if I do,” he promised. “But I won’t.”

She opened her mouth to say more, but Gendry silenced her with a kiss. Arya jumped in to deepen, and Gendry groaned into her mouth and smiled.

“Go to sleep, Arry,” Gendry whispered, breaking away and breathing heavily. His manhood had began to stir once again and Gendry had no desire to do that tonight.

Arya groaned, pushing herself down on his hips. Gendry’s hands jumped to her hips and lifted her up into the air. Arya shrieked, laughing. Gendry put her to the side of his body again and Arya tried to climb back atop him.

“No,” Gendry said firmly, pushing her to his side again. Arya grinned mischievously. He felt her hands underneath his belly and he grabbed both of her hands in one and held them on his chest. Arya gasped, then smirked at him. “You need to stop.”

“Why?” Arya tried to wriggle out of Gendry’s grasp.

“Because I won’t be able to stop myself and I don’t think it should happen tonight.”

Arya stopped and looked at him. He held her gaze for a long moment, then she sighed and snuggled back into his side.

“Ass.”

Gendry pulled his furs over them and pulled Arya so close that she was practically on top of him.

Coming out of his daze, Arya stirred against him. Gendry looked down at her and watched her continue to sleep. _She’s so beautiful_ , he thought. Being North, Gendry had heard about the Starks - the pretty daughter who was being sold husband to husband, and the little one who was always dirty or causing problems and was probably dead. That’s how they were described. Gendry knew that Lady Sansa was beautiful, Arya had said so herself before, but as beautiful as the North found Lady Sansa, he couldn’t imagine she was more beautiful that Arya.

He gently moved from underneath her and Arya opened her eyes a little bit, groaning.

“I’m going to get food and talk to Hot Pie,” Gendry mumbled, kissing her brow. Arya closed her eyes and snuggled into the cot once again.

Gendry got the two of them breakfast, making to grab an extra of everything for Arya. He found Hot Pie in the kitchen and waited for him to be done with is task at hand. When Hot Pie was able to talk, Gendry told him in a hushed voice that Arya was returning to the North, that she was in his room as they spoke, and that the two of them would be leaving in the night to get a head start of the journey to Winterfell. Hot Pie made a few jabs about Gendry and Arya, promised to send up a parting gift and some food for both of them later on, then went back to work.

Arya rolled over to see him when he reentered his room. She saw the food and licked her lips. Gendry, laughing, put all the food he got for her down in front of her and sat on the table opposite his cot and began to eat his.

“Hot Pie is going to send food for our journey up later.”

She nodded and scarfed down the rest of the food. Gendry stopped eating to watch her fondly. Arya finished her plate and turned pink when she realized he was watching her.

“Do you know who all is at Winterfell?” Gendry asked to save her. “I’ve only heard it was reclaimed.”

Arya swallowed her last bite before she began answering. “They say Jon befriended Wildings and fought with them, along with other smaller Northern houses and the Knights of the Vale. I can imagine that the wildlings are in Winterfell, maybe some of the other Northerners, and whatever is left of Winterfell’s inhabitants… And Jon and Sansa. I haven’t heard about Bran and Rickon.”

She was sitting against the stone wall and Gendry climbed on the cot to sit next to her.

“I haven’t heard about anyone except the King and Lady Sansa, and all I heard was that they won the ‘Battle of the Bastards’ and retook Winterfell.” Arya was looking up at him when Gendry glanced over in her direction. “What?”

“Call them Jon and Sansa,” Arya stated, chuckling.

“I’m not on a first name basis with them,” Gendry replied, laughing, “They are my King and my Lady.”

“Are you a Northern now?” Arya asked him, smiling.

Gendry shrugged and felt heat rise to his face. “You don’t plan to leave the North again, and I don’t plan to leave you, so…”

Arya pressed him down onto the cot and kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT, what do you guys think of Jonsa? I ship it, and it might be shown in this story if you guys are okay with it, so please let me know!! Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm using Tormund's looks from the show and using them in this story, I just love him and his crazy fire hair! I can't promise quick updates like this, I just had to get this chapter from my mind it is what made me decide to write this story!

Gendry packed what they had in the saddle bags. Arya only had a few items of clothing, and so the majority of one side was his belongings that he did not want to leave behind, and the other side had two meals for each of them, thanks to Hot Pie, and a leather bound book that Gendry was holding on to until he could read it’s contents.

It was dark outside, and cold. Gendry knew one of the major problems he would face to stay with Arya was the weather that she was accustomed to, and that was far from the weather Gendry was accustomed to.  _ The other would probably be her family _ , he thought to himself bitterly. Arya positively loved her older half-brother, Jon. He was her favorite sibling, that he knew for sure. Arya can love bastards all her life, but that doesn’t mean that people would agree with her being with a bastard, nor does it mean that the North would approve with Arya bringing one home.

_ What if, when they got there, he could not stay?  _ Gendry cursed under his breath as he thought it yet again. He knew Arya well enough that that wasn’t an option. That made Gendry smile.

She appeared behind him suddenly. “What were you thinking about?” Arya asked him, laughing quietly. “You were off in your own place.”

“Nothing,” Gendry sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. Arya frowned and opened her mouth, but Gendry pressed his lips to hers.

Arya went to bite his lip, but Gendry pulled away. Then, out of nowhere, he blurted out, “Are your siblings going to hate me because you’re coming home with me?”

Gendry felt his face burn. Arya seemed taken aback by his question. “Why would they hate you?” Arya seemed genuinely confused. “They’re going to be happy to have me back,” when she said that she did sound unsure and Gendry gripped her hand tighter. “I’m positive they will love you simply because you helped me get home. Then they will realize that I - they’ll realize that you’re an okay person and you’ll be fine.”

Arya finished her sentence very quickly. Gendry was grinning at her and she turned away from him and tightened the straps of the saddle.

“Arry -”

Arya clambered onto the horse and then perched herself in front of the saddle so that Gendry could get on. He did so, then pulled her back onto the saddle so that her body was pressed against his. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. She had longer hair now, just past her shoulders, and so he had to move it out of the way to press his lips to her neck. Gendry had learned after breakfast that that was a good way to get Arya to shut up.

_ “Asshole.” _

Hot Pie had given Gendry a very large and thick cloak that had been left behind at the Inn. Arya and Gendry had moderate ones themselves, but the large cloak would surely be enough for them. Gendry put it around his shoulders, then enveloped Arya within it and his strong arms. Arya took the reins within the cloak and they set off. They would reach Winterfell the following day, Arya had told him. She suspected the following night, but it would not be as late as the time they left to trek there.

* * *

 

The two and they trekked North on their horse, only stopping twice to relieve themselves, and the second time they ate as well. Hot Pie, happy that his friends were going to Winterfell, probably gave each of them two portions of supper. They ate in near silence. Gendry was watching Arya - s he usually never shuts up and so he knew something was wrong or bothering her.

Gendry pressed her to talk, but she would put the next bite of food in her mouth as a response. It wasn’t until they were back on the horse that he got anything out of Arya.

“I don’t know if they’ll recognize me,” she mumbled. She was sitting sideways on the front of the saddle now and was leaning into his chest. “I was nine last time they saw me.”

Gendry didn’t know what to say, he had never been in any situation similar to her’s.

“Sansa… Sansa hated me when I left Kings Landing,” she went on. “The last time I saw her she was behind Joffery, my father was executed. I could hear her screaming out of all the cheers… Bran doesn’t having working legs - I don’t know if he survived outside of Winterfell, or if he had any help by Hodor. And Rickon,” Arya had never said any of this to Gendry. Gendry hadn’t known that Bran did not have proper legs, but he’d ask later. “Rickon was a babe when I left, he had only had three name days. No one was there to care for him or raise him… I can’t imagine what his life has been.”

“I think Jon and Sansa will recognize you,” Gendry told her, resting his forehead on the top of her head. “And I think both of them will be  _ very  _ happy to see you.”

“Jon will be,” Arya said, hopefully and more sure of herself than before. “I was Jon’s favorite.. We’re both the outsiders in our family. We look the same, the others all have copper hair and blue eyes. We used to finish each other’s sentence and he’d mess my hair and smile at me..”

Gendry smiled as Arya trailed off. He was happy to see this side of Arya and not just the cold, revengeful Arya. He could see the difference had a lot to do with the hope in her eyes. She knew that she would see them again for the first time in a long time and it changed her completely.

“What were the things you did in Winterfell before?” Gendry asked. He was excited to see Winterfell, it was Arya’s home and a castle. He knew it was nothing like the Castles he had seen other places.

“Well,” Arya thought for a moment. “Mother had Robb and Sansa take dancing lessons. She always begged me too but I never did, the lesson I did go to I embarrassed her so bad she never made me go back,” Gendry frowned at that, but he also knew Arya had been considerably more favored by her father. “I used to run around with Jon and Robb, they were trained to be lords and knights and spared all the time. I wasn’t allowed to spar, but I never missed a shot with an arrow.”

Gendry chuckled at Arya’s grin.

“Sansa sewed all the time, would sit with her maidens and sew all day long,” Arya sounded disgusted by this fact. “That’s why this is named Needle,”Arya patted needle fondly. “Jon gave it to me and told me every proper sword has a name. I named it Needle, saying now I have a needle just like Sansa.”

Arya spoke more about Winterfell, and Gendry let her go on, listening to every word she said. She had never talked about her childhood so much, but Gendry knew it was to do with the hope she was newly filled with. He was happy to see her happy, and happy that she was now able to return home after six years, no matter how much has changed.

Darkness came quickly from behind them, along with a chilly breeze.

Arya told him that they were close to Winterfell, and the forest around them were called Wolfswood. Gendry had snorted at the name. “No shit we’re close, we’ll be turning on to Wolf Road here soon, I’m sure.”

Arya smacked him, trying not to laugh and making herself scowl, but she smiled.

Arya was now sitting with one leg on either side of the horse, wanting a clear view of Winterfell when they could see it. Gendry saw it first, being so much taller than her, and pointed it out. Arya leaned forwards and Gendry let her take the reins so that his arms weren’t in her way. They could see a couple of towers that had lit windows, but needed to be closer to see more.

The forest’s clearing came into view and Arya began searching upwards. Gendry followed her suit and looked up. There were guards on top of the wall surrounding Winterfell as it came into sight, four men surrounded by torches. Two were in the middle and one on each side of the gate below them.

“This is Hunter’s Gate,” Arya told him. “It’s the West entrance.”

Arya sat back against Gendry again and so he took the reins. Arya grabbed his arms and squeezed them tightly, he could tell that she was breathing low, nervous now that this was all happening. Gendry knew that he would have to get a good look at Winterfell during the day, but from their view now, some towers lit and others not and all of it covered in white like he had never seen, it looked beautiful.

“Who goes there?” Gendry looked back towards the gate and saw that one guard in the middle had addressed them. He shouted something else just as the wind howled, and so Arya and Gendry did not hear him.

“Arya Stark of Winterfell!” Arya shouted back. Gendry saw the guards look at one another and look at the ones on either side of the watch area.

It was a different guard who shouted down at them this time. “Lady Arya is presumed dead!”

“Well go tell your King that you just turned away his baby sister because of your own stupidity and I’m sure he will  _ reward  _ you!”

“What color was the direwolf who followed Lady Arya, and it’s name?”

“Her name is Nymeria, after Queen Nymeria of Dorne, she has dark golden eyes and gray fur with a white face. Do you want me to tell you about the shits she used to take?” Arya answered fiercely, and Gendry laughed into her hair. “I would like to be home for the first time in six years now, if you’d _ open the gate! _ ”

One guard in the middle nodded towards the one on his side. The two outer guards began to spin a wheel that created loud bangs down below. A moment later, the gate began to rise. Arya sunk farther into Gendry’s arms again, and he urged the horse forward. They crossed the mot, and the horse pranced into the outer corridor. There were kennels to their left, and another opening in front of them.

“The courtyard is on the other side,” Arya mumbled numbly.

Gendry urged the horse forward more until they were in a spacious yard. He looked around, there were corridors lit by candle all around the courtyard. It was late enough that people were probably in their chambers. Gendry slid off the horse and noticed red. Thinking about Sansa having copper hair, he did a double take. This was not Sansa, but was instead a huge man with a long, frizzy beard. Beside him was a tall and slender man who… looked almost identical to Arya.

“Arry,” he said, turning around. He was grinning brilliantly, so happy for Arya.

Arya was already staring at Jon. He grabbed her waist and assisted her off of the horse. Her legs didn’t seem to be working. She fumbled with her belt and hilt, giving Needle to Gendry. Gendry was still grinning at her, but she had probably forgotten about his existence in that moment. He looked across the yard to Jon, who was gaping at his little sister.

Gendry saw, as Jon began to slowly walk into the courtyard towards them, that in the light he and Arya looked even more alike than he had originally thought. His hair was shorter, like Arya’s when Gendry and her parted, and was thick and curly. His skin had a tinted hue to it, but he was pale and freckled across his nose. They had the same build, except Jon had filled out more with muscle than Arya had.

Jon stopped short of the two probably two horse lengths away. His eyes were moving over Arya again and again trying to take her all in. Even from the time that Gendry had met Arya, she looked completely different so Gendry couldn’t imagine her when Jon had last seen her.

Arya was breathing very heavily, Gendry realized as he looked back at her. Her shoulders were rising and falling quickly and all of a sudden, Arya regained the power of her legs. She broke into a sprint across the yard and quickly closed the space between herself and her oldest brother.

She flung herself into his arms and Gendry saw Jon teeter on his heels, but his large arms were engulfing Arya’s small frame the next instant. Jon sunk to the ground and onto his knees. His eyes were pinched shut and he buried his face in Arya’s shoulder. Gendry could see Arya’s shoulders shudder with continuous sobs.

Gendry watch the two for a few minutes, he was happy that Arya was home and that Jon did in fact recognize his little sister. Gendry took his pouch from the saddle bag and put the clothes and Needle underneath his arm. He saw a stable to his right, away from Jon and Arya, and walked the horse there. There was a young boy sitting inside, and he stood when he saw Gendry.

“Is there room for him?” Gendry asked.

“Of course!” the boy smiled. “Would you like to keep your saddle here or somewhere in particular?”

“Er,” Gendry didn’t know anywhere he he’d put it. “It can stay here.”

The boy nodded and took the horse’s reins into his own hands. He chatted with the horse and walked him through the stable doors and inside.

Gendry walked back towards Arya, Jon, and the red headed man who was still behind Jon in the corridor. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed against his chest, and a smile gracing his face. Gendry looked at him for a moment, and half thought that perhaps this man was one of the wildlings he had heard the King befriended.

Gendry looked back at the siblings in the middle when he notice them shift. Arya and Jon had pulled away from each other, Jon still on his knees while Arya stood and was slightly taller than him Jon was drying her face with his hands, then Gendry saw him dry his own.

“Gendry,” he heard her say. She turned to face him and smiled, her eyes rimmed red. She waved him over to them. “Gendry, this is Jon.”

He pulled his eyes away from her to meet eyes with Jon as he stood up.

“It’s nice to meet you, your grace.”

“Call me Jon,” Arya smirked at Gendry and he rolled his eyes at her before he felt Jon hug him tightly.

Gendry was extremely taken aback by this. He hesitated, then hugged the King of the North back.

“Thank you for bringing her home to me,” Jon whispered. “I have been searching for her for years… Thank you so much. You can have anything you want from me, ever.”

And immediately after Jon whispered those words, Gendry felt a heat rise up through his belly and to his face. He felt like he had a family for the first time in his life and in his head he heard Arya say, _“I can be your family.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... the last quote is from the show too, just too cute for me to pass up lol. Thank you for reading! As always, please leave your thoughts!!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter four, again! Sorry to those who did get the notification. I decided to take it down and slow things down a bit (thank you for the opinion) I really do love it. This chapter is still a filler chapter, just goes more to the characters. Thank you so much for reading!

Gendry walked behind Jon and Arya as they walked together, practically hugging. Gendry had no desire to interrupt their reunion and he would even leave them alone for them to have a more private reunion if he knew of places he could go. He looked all around him as they walked through corridor after corridor. Arya had said something about the crypts, and so Gendry assumed that was where they were walking. He had never been in a castle before, and he knew that Winterfell was rather small compared to others but he still found it fascinating. 

 

Tormund, the large redhead, had left the trio to go to sleep. He was in fact a wildling, and Gendry made a mental note to ask about them later on. He only knew what he had heard while travelling throughout the Riverlands, and that wasn’t much. 

 

“What are you doing?” Arya asked him, pulling Gendry from his retrieve. 

 

Gendry shrugged, “Just looking at everything.”

 

Arya smiled slightly and took his hand in hers, pulling him to walk beside her so that she was in between him and Jon. Jon looked at their hands out of the corner of his eye looked up at Gendry for a moment. He didn’t want to scare the boy off, so he would wait to talk to him first.

 

“Where is Sansa?”

 

“Right now I believe she is in Robb’s old chambers,” Jon answered, he seemed awkward to answer. “She stays in the room you two used to share,” he went on. “But she doesn’t sleep easily anymore and has been staying in my chambers with me and Ghost.”

 

“She has night terrors?” Arya asked, not noticing Jon’s expression. “Of what? What has happened to her?”

 

Jon looked over at Arya with sad, and tired eyes. He glanced up at Gendry, who was looking at him, and breathed heavily out of his nose. “Arya -”

 

“Should I ask her herself, then?” Arya demanded. “I know nothing of what has happened to you guys. I haven’t even been in Westeros the past two years. I only heard that you and Sansa retook Winterfell when I came back a couple of moons ago.”

 

Jon looked questioningly at his younger sister but seemed to force himself to not ask her anything. 

 

“You heard what happened to Joffrey I assume?” 

 

“Yes, I heard,” Arya spat at the mention of the once King. Gendry still was not used to this whole first-name-basis of royalty and lords. 

 

“Sansa was married to Lord Tyrion,” Gendry furrowed his brows at this. Sansa was one of the most beautiful girls in the realm, Arya had said, and she had been forced to marry the half-man Lannister. Arya gasped at hearing that as well - they had been together when Joffrey was killed, but they had been so disconnected from civilization that they had not known any details. “They were framed for poisoning him at his wedding. Lord Baelish and Olenna Tyrell were behind it - Olenna did not want her granddaughter to be married to Joffrey. Littlefinger had Sansa escorted from King’s Landing during the chaos and left the blame on Tyrion.”

 

“Is he dead?” Arya asked. Jon led them outside into a small courtyard that was closed off. In the center was a small tower that, Gendry guessed, lead to the crypts. He found it bizarre that they kept their deceased love ones underneath the ground like this. 

 

“Tyrion? No. He is actually coming here next moon, with Queen Daenerys Targaryen. He serves as her hand now.”

“The Mother of Dragons?” Gendry asked, aghast. His life was changing drastically by the second.  

 

“Yes,” Jon nodded, he didn’t seem too thrilled at the idea. “Sansa and I suppose they are coming to offer marriage proposals and to ask for our men.”

 

“They’re going to take King’s Landing?”

 

Jon grinned at Gendry. “Are you from there?”

 

“I - yes,” Gendry muttered. “I’m not connected to the city by any means, though.”

 

Jon smiled and nodded, chuckling. “I understand. It is going to bizarre when and if she does succeed in taking the Iron Throne. I will ally with them, but I do not believe I want to fight for her to get there.” Jon opened the wooden door and Gendry looked around the small room. There candles all around the room and stone stairs that wound around a corner and down. “Anyways,” he continued the conversation from earlier. “Lord Baelish took Sansa to Aunt Lysa’s. He married Lysa to gain the support from the Vale, then killed her.”

 

“I got there shortly after,” Arya whispered. 

 

“What?” Jon asked, shocked.

 

“I was with the Hound for over a year, he was taking me different places to get ransom. He took me to the Vale, and when we said we were there to talk to Lysa, they told us that she was dead.”

 

“You’ve been hardly missing us for years,” Jon said in disbelief. A lump grew in Gendry’s throat.

 

Jon, it seemed, did not want to go on. He opened his mouth a couple different times before words actually came out. “Lord Baelish then sold Sansa to Ramsay Bolton.” Gendry felt sick, suddenly understanding why Jon did not want to go on. 

 

“Did he..?” Arya asked in a low voice, having come to the same realization. 

 

“Yes,” Jon answered shortly. “And he abused her in more ways that that. Theon was here and his prisoner,” Arya began to outburst but Jon silenced her with the wave of his hand. He had heard a Greyjoy had taken Winterfell from the Starks, but he did not know anything else. “He didn’t killl Bran and Rickon, Arya. He killed two farm boys and burned them so that he could act like he killed Bran and Rickon.”

 

Arya and Gendry looked at each other. Gendry, personally, was disturbed by all of Jon’s tale but especially about this Theon killing to innocent boys to pretend like they were Starks. 

 

“Ramsay killed who Theon was, he made a man named Reek,” Jon said, he also sounded disgusted by this. “Sansa told me. He had white hair now and is just skin and bones and is… missing some bits. Ramsay made Theon watch what he did to Sansa every day because he knew the Theon that was still there still cared for Sansa like she was his own sister. When Stannis Baratheon attacked Winterfell, Theon helped Sansa escape. Lady Brienne helped her to the Wall, to me.”

 

Arya stood in silence for a few moments, taking it all in. She and Sansa had never gotten along, especially just before their father’s execution. Arya had hoped that Sansa being beautiful would help her, or being in the capital would help her - she knew that Sansa was hostage and would have to be kept safe. She had no idea what Sansa endured in King’s Landing, because she was sure that she had endured a lot by the hands of Joffrey and Cersei. But she wouldn’t have anticipated Ramsay. She would have to talk to Sansa in the morning. 

 

“Bran and Rickon,” Arya started. “They’re alive. Has there been any news on them?”

 

Jon was pale in the candlelight and he began to walk down the steps into the crypts. “Bran was last seen beyond the Wall.” Arya made an indignant sound and Jon agreed. “I have no idea.” Gendry smiled to himself, still holding Arya’s hand, when he realized how easily they can still communicate without talking. “And Rickon… Ramsay killed Rickon before the Battle of the Bastards.”

 

They had reached the bottom of the steps, and Arya stopped a few up from the ground. Gendry and Jon both looked back at her, but she was staring at Jon. Her eyes were glossed over. She had grieved their death, but when Jon had just said that Theon hadn’t killed Bran and Rickon Arya had gotten her hopes up. 

 

“How?”

 

“Arya, please -”

 

“I want to know!”

 

“And I don’t want to tell you!” Jon said forcefully. Gendry noted that they had the same angry tone as the other. Arya stared defiantly at her oldest brother and could practically see her words echo in his eyes,  _ “I know nothing that has happened to you guys.” _ Jon sighed. “He captured Rickon and Shaggydog. He killed Shaggy, and when we approached Winterfell for the Battle, he made Rickon run towards us. I started running on horse to meet him and Ramsay was shooting arrows all around him as he ran. He waited until Rickon was arm’s length away from me and shot him with an arrow through his heart.”

 

Jon’s jaw clenched when he finished and he had anger in his eyes. Gendry ran his hands through his dark hair, and looked at Arya’s face. She was scowling and her eyes were flashing with anger. 

“How did Ramsay die?” She asked fiercely. Gendry knew the tone well enough that she wanted Ramsay to be served with karma, she wanted revenge for what he had done to her sister and her brother. 

 

“I had offered one-on-one combat before the battle, I knew I could easily beat him. He refused, knowing the same, I’m sure,” Jon answered in a low voice. Gendry had heard what they said about Jon float around the Riverlands -  _ the white wolf is the best in combat that there has been for centuries _ . “He agreed to fight me when I entered Winterfell. He tried shooting me with arrows but I blocked each one with a shield, then hit him down with it -”

 

“And you beat him, right?”

 

“Yes,” Jon said, smiling at the memory. “He was nearly dead but I saw Sansa, and I had promised her she could have him when we won. She fed him to his dogs.”

 

“Sansa did?” Arya asked, aghast. Jon grinned and nodded and Arya let out a little laugh. “Maybe we will be able to get along better now!”

 

Jon smiled, “I think you will. You guys have both grown a lot, from what I can tell.”

 

Arya hugged Jon again, and Gendry and Jon both chuckled. The three of them began walking down the corridor of the crypts, Arya still hugging Jon as they walked. Arya and Jon told Gendry who each tomb was for, and how they were related to them or their success during their lifetime. Next to a woman Arya called Aunt Lyanna was their father’s tomb. Stone was being carved in four places and it made Gendry grimace. One for their father, Lady Catelyn, Robb and Rickon, Jon said. 

 

“Did you know what Robb’s wife’s name was?”

 

“I didn’t, no,” Jon said solemnly. “Bran was in Winterfell when they married, he might have been written about it. I was told that she was pregnant when they were at the wedding.”

 

“She was,” Arya said. Gendry grabbed her hand. Jon looked at her questioningly. “I would rather tell my story tomorrow,” she muttered. At the response she gave, Gendry saw worry flicker into Jon’s eyes. He smiled just at that, how noticeable emotions played in their eyes. Jon nodded and breathed in a large breath and slowly exhaled it out.

 

“Listen, Arya,” he said, facing her. “I - er - there’s something I want you to know, before you hear it from someone else.” Arya tensed away from Jon slightly and looked at him, curious but also nervous. “I’m… I’m not your brother.”

 

“What do you mean?” Gendry couldn’t have imagined such a fragile voice coming from his fierce warrior. 

 

“I’m Lyanna’s son, not Father’s,” Arya gasped. Jon glanced at Gendry and their intertwined hands as Arya squeezed tighter than before. “Father promised her that he would bring me here and protect me from Robert.” Gendry paled. “Rhaegar Targaryen didn’t kidnap Lyanna, she ran away with him.”

 

“Protect you from Robert? The King? What would he have done if he knew you were her son?”

 

Jon looked at Gendry, surprised. “Are you from King’s Landing?” he asked. Gendry nodded, he knew his accent was still very prominent. “Well, King Robert would have killed me, more than likely. He was in love with Lyanna, but Lyanna did not love him. I supposed Robert would have killed me since I was a child of the love of his life and the man he believed had kidnapped her.”

 

“He sounds really charming,” Gendry said, a little too emotion in his voice. Jon raised his eyebrows. “I’m his bastard,” he said. Arya looked around at him, more and more surprising news being said. “I’ve been told I look like him young and fit, and that I look like Renly Baratheon as well.”

 

“That’s why the Gold Cloaks were looking for you,” Arya said more to herself than Gendry. She looked up at him, grinning. “And you thought you were a gutter bastard! You’re a highborn bastard!” She exclaimed laughing and pushing his shoulder. 

 

“Shove off,” Gendry muttered, though he was laughing. He shoved her shoulder back gently and shook his head.

 

Arya laughed and turned around, pleased to see Jon was laughing as well. “You’re always going to be my brother, Jon,” she told him quietly. Jon smiled down at her.

 

“I better be your favorite forever, too, wolf,” he said to her, grinning. “I just wanted to tell you. The North found out, but I told them I wish to remain a Snow. The North is my home and my family. They still want me to be the King,” he added, letting out a breath. Arya smiled. 

 

Arya hugged him around his middle tightly. Jon messed her hair, which made Gendry grin because he had heard about Jon doing that countless times. Jon told them that he would show them to their chambers, and looked as though he would rather spear himself than allow them to share one like Arya said they were going to. 

 

Gendry assured the King that he would happy in his own chambers, and Arya kicked him in the shin. He groaned and shot a dirty look at Arya. 

 

“He wants to share a room with me,” she told Jon, glaring at Gendry. “I can’t sleep without him near me,” she added defiantly. She stopped glaring at Gendry and looked at Jon, who was smiling slightly but still did not seem pleased with the idea. Gendry caught sight of Arya’s eyes and knew that Jon was battling a lost cause, she was using those eyes in the way she uses them  on Gendry, and she gets what she wants.

 

Jon looked between her and Gendry for a long moment, paling more and more. “Sansa will be in your room before you two have awoken, I’m sure,” he said. Gendry caught the threat in his tone and nodded hurriedly. Any thoughts of bedding Arya out of his head, he knew he shouldn’t before, but especially not in the castle of her family, with her brother, the King, not far away. 

 

“Are there linens? I smell like mud. I’d like to bathe before I lay down.”

 

“Yes, they’ll be in your room,” Jon muttered, taking lead out of the crypts. 

 

Gendy took it upon himself to walk beside Jon and next to the wall so that Arya had to walk on the other side of Jon so that he could at least see them separated for another few minutes. When they reached a part of Winterfell that had less doors, Arya asked where they would be staying. Jon said Rickon’s old chambers. 

 

“I’m in Robb’s old chambers,” he told Arya when they stopped in front of a door. Gendry stopped walking as well and turned towards Jon next to Arya. “Sansa will usually be in the chamber you guys used to share.”

 

Arya nodded and hugged Jon again. Jon chuckled but squeezed her to him tightly. They had both missed each other enough to hug for days on end, Gendry was sure. Jon looked up at Gendry with hard eyes, and Gendry thought he ought to say he’d take the room behind the Smithy while they could push Arya into her chambers and close the door faster than she could run. 

 

“I wish to speak with you after we’ve all finished breaking our fast,” he said, then smiled at him. “I will see you two in the morning, sleep well.” Jon looked between the pair one more time before forcing himself to turn away and walk to his own chambers. 

Gendry looked down at Arya and matched her grin, feeling his stomach twist. 

 

“Stupid bull,” she said suddenly punching his arm. “Don’t ever kiss my brother’s ass to save your own skin, _ I’ll _ save you. You sleep with me every night now.” Her face softened after a moment. “Unless you don’t want to, of course,” she added quietly, looking down. “Then tell me, and I’ll tell Jon to get you another room. Just don’t tell him and not me..”

 

Gendry laughed. “For someone who calls me stupid so much, you really are dim.”

  
He pushed her shoulder and walked past her towards the door. Arya made an indignant sound behind him and shoved his lower back. He reached for the nod and turned it, opening the heavy door and stepped into the room that he would be sharing with Arya, _ every night now _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE let me know what you think! I hope you all liked it :) Let me know what you think of these filler chapters and what you think of the characterization for the characters! Thank you!


End file.
